In modern Russia there are no free elections, therefore the political elite is almost constant.

Photo: Valentina Matvienko, Mayor of St. Petersburg, attends the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF) on June 17, 2011 in St. Petersburg, Russia. Global business leaders have gathered in Russia for the three-day conference. (Photo by Alexander Aleshkin/Epsilon/Getty Images)

Protest posters are attached to the walls surrounding the “Occupy London” camp outside St. Paul's Cathedral on November 01, 2011 in London, England. The Dean of St. Pauls Cathedral The Very Reverend Graeme Knowles resigned yesterday over the church's handling of the anti-capitalist “Occupy London” demonstration, which continues to occupy the grounds outside the cathedral. (Photo by Dan Kitwood/Getty Images)

Members of the King's Troop Royal Horse Artillery fire a 41 gun salute in Hyde Park to mark the 60 anniversary of the accession of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II on February 6, 2012 in London, England. (Photo by Oli Scarff/Getty Images)

Paris Saint-Germain's Italian goalkeeper #01 Gianluigi Donnarumma and Salzburg's Serbian forward #21 Petar Ratkov vie for the ball during the UEFA Champions League football match between FC RB Salzburg and Paris Saint-Germain in Salzburg, Austria on December 10, 2024. (Photo by Franck Fife/AFP Photo)

Paris Saint-Germain's Italian goalkeeper #01 Gianluigi Donnarumma sustains an injury by Monaco's Ivorian defender #17 Wilfried Singo (L) during the French L1 football match between AS Monaco and Paris Saint-Germain at the Louis II Stadium (Stade Louis II) in the Principality of Monaco on December 18, 2024. (Photo by Valery Hache/AFP Photo)

UEFA staff member carry away the trophy from the pitch prior the UEFA Champions League semi-final football match between Leipzig and Paris Saint-Germain at the Luz stadium in Lisbon on August 18, 2020. (Photo by David Ramos/Pool via AFP Photo)

Nice's Youcef Atal, left, and PSG's Juan Bernat challenge for the ball during the French League One soccer match between Paris Saint-Germain and Nice at the Parc des Princes stadium in Paris, France, Saturday, May 4, 2019. (Photo by Christophe Ena/AP Photo)